Gautam Buddha was born as Siddhartha, son of the King of Kapilavastu and his Queen, Mahamaya. As a young man he renounced all worldly desires and left the palace to seek the meaning of truth. After long meditation and penance under a Bodhi tree, he achieved enlightenment and was thereafter known as Buddha. He dedicated his life to serving mankind and gained wide following. His teachings are widely recounted and followed by Buddhists all over the world.